Influence of dietary proteins on rennin and pepsin content of preruminant calf vell

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Abstract
Studies were undertaken to determine the influence of dietary proteins on the rennin and pepsin contents of preruminant calf vell. Three groups of 12 Friesian calves were each fed either milk proteins, whey proteins or a 50:50 mixture of these 2 diets. They were slaughtered at a constant weight of 150kg and their vells collected and dried. Another group of vells was obtained from 8 animals that had been fed milk proteins in a separate experiment. The extraction of the abomasal enzymes was carried out at acid pH, and the extracts were quantitatively analysed for rennin and pepsin by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. Qualitative analyses were also performed by agarose-acrylamide gel electrophoresis. The only enzymes observed using this last method were rennin and bovine pepsin II. Statistical analysis of the quantitative enzyme determinations indicated a trend for the vells from calves fed diets containing casein to be richer in total activity and in rennin, while the level of pepsin remained approximately constant. It seems that casein may induce the secretion of rennin. However, further experiments will be necessary to confirm this. Important differences were observed between the 2 groups of veils from calves given the same diet, but grown in slightly different conditions.